CORRECTION - please note the average income of Toorak, Melbourne is$132,252 not $123,252 as stated in the earlier media release.

MEDIA RELEASE

28 November 2012

Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)

194/2012

Sandy Bay records Tasmania's highest income

Sandy Bay residents, in the south of Hobart, recorded Tasmania’s highest average income in 2009-10, according to figures releases today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Director of the Rural and Regional National Statistics Centre, Lisa Conolly said the Estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas publication uses data from the Australian Taxation Office to provide a breakdown of information such as personal income by wage and salary, investment, superannuation and annuities.

"Tasmania’s top five earning regions were the Greater Hobart suburbs/regions of Sandy Bay with an average total income of $59,002, followed by Mount Nelson - Dynnyrne on $54,660, Taroona - Bonnet Hill on $51,476 and South Hobart - Fern Tree on $51,129.

"The leaders for the rest of Tasmania are the West Coast on $46,606, Norwood on $44,784 and Waverley - St. Leonards on $44,781.

“Overall, the average total income for the state of Tasmania is $41,542 which is lower than the national average of $48,530.

“Australia’s highest earners are those in the Melbourne suburb of Toorak who earn an average of $132,252 per year.

"Just under 40 per cent (or 37 in number) of Tasmania's regions had average annual total incomes above the state level of $41,542. Of this group, 51 per centwere located outside of the Hobart region.

“From a state and territory perspective, the Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest average total income in of $58,034, followed by Western Australia on $53," she said.